Talking Pictures

Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon joins Ben Mankiewicz to share unvarnished stories of a life in films– from making Rocky Horror Picture Show, Bull Durham, Witches of Eastwick, and Pretty Baby to navigating the cynical world of showbiz. She argues that every film is political– either challenging the status quo or enforcing it– and reveals her input into the iconic ending of Thelma & Louise which turns 35 this year. Films Mentioned: The Nutty Professor The Accompanist Dead Man Walking Joe Atlantic City Pretty Baby Rocky Horror Picture Show Witches of Eastwick Bull Durham Sirat Afterlife Grapes of Wrath Lord of the Rings Bambi Waiting for Guffman Best in Show Thelma & Louise Being There Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid The Front Page, 1974 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt joins host Ben Mankiewicz for a live taping of Talking Pictures recorded at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on the eve of the 2026 TCM Classic Film Festival. An obsessive movie fan, Patton sees hundreds of films a year; he hates talkers in theaters but loves when going to a movie turns into a bonding experience with strangers. From his acting career, he tells stories of being suspended in a tree on the set of “Magnolia” and doing a sex scene with Charlize Theron in “Young Adult.” In the Super 8, Oswalt shares films you’ll want to remember and see the first chance you get. Films Mentioned: Young Adult Ratatouille The D.I. Halloween Magnolia Hard Eight Young Adult Stalag 17 The Great Escape Yojimbo Bad News Bears, 1976 Casablanca Pee Wee’s Big Adventure Return of the Living Dead Three Kings Gates of Heaven Bachelor Party Baby Driver After Life The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Planet of The Apes Wait Until Dark Man With No Name A Catered Affair The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming Sergeant York The Taking of Pelham 123 Female Trouble Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan The Twelve Chairs Blazing Saddles Ikiru Kingpin Quick Change Pig Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The fearless Margot Robbie goes in-depth with Ben Mankiewicz about how her early days as an Australian soap star prepared her to go toe-to-toe with Leonardo DiCaprio. Now, after producing the blockbuster Barbie and working with the likes of Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, is her next move behind the camera as a director? Plus, our exclusive Super 8 questionnaire, which she was very excited to answer. Films Mentioned Barbie * I, Tonya * Bombshell The Wolf of Wall Street Asteroid City Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood Titanic The Legend of Tarzan* Mary Queen of Scots Terminal Eye of the Devil Babylon Whiplash La La Land Wings Singin' in the Rain* Cabaret True Romance The Fifth Element Bandits* The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* Pulp Fiction Rambo Bring It On High Society Babette's Feast* The Blues Brothers The Dirty Dozen Withnail and I* Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Seven Samurai* Young Frankenstein The Producers Robin Hood: Men in Tights *Available on Max as of 11/26 (Availability of titles subject to change) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season two of Talking Pictures is here! Bill Murray doesn’t do a lot of podcasts, but he was game to talk movies with host Ben Mankiewicz. They dive into his comedies (Stripes, Caddyshack, Groundhog Day) and discuss the directors Murray works with repeatedly (Wes Anderson, Jim Jarmusch). Murray remembers growing up a “bad boy” in a house with eight siblings and how success impacted his mom. Finally, our Super 8 returns and you don’t want to miss the prop Bill Murray says he would steal for his personal collection. Films Mentioned: Meatballs Ghostbusters Stripes Caddyshack Groundhog Day Broken Flowers Lost in Translation Rushmore Red River Frankenstein Dracula The Fugitive Going My Way Bells of Saint Mary's Yankee Doodle Dandy The Sound of Music The Razor's Edge Mad Dog and Glory Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Olive Kitteridge * Moonrise Kingdom The Royal Tenenbaums The Grand Budapest Hotel Coffee and Cigarettes * The Limits of Control The Dead Don’t Die Bottle Rocket Asteroid City Barry Lyndon Gallipoli Ninotchka Old Yeller The Man with Two Brains Nothing but Trouble *Available on Max as of 11/12 (Availability of titles subject to change) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a special bonus episode of Talking Pictures recorded live at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival in Hollywood, host Ben Mankiewicz interviews actor, comedian, and classic movie lover, Mario Cantone. They discuss Mario’s life before acting, his role in HBO’s “Sex and the City” and the Max series “And Just Like That…,” and Ben challenges Mario to the Super 8 movie questionnaire. Films Mentioned: Sex and the City And Just Like That… Hello Dolly Blazing Saddles Lady Sings the Blues The Lady Gambles Slap Shot Chinatown Network Quiz Show All About Eve Guys and Dolls My Cousin Vinny The Thorn Birds New York, New York Looking For Mr. Goodbar Pollyanna Bambi West Side Story (1961) Cleopatra The Wizard of Oz A Star is Born (1954) The Godfather Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Ben Mankiewicz visits with director Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman, Monster) and her mother (!!) to talk superheroes, female serial killers, and gets her take on being a female director in Hollywood. Patty surprises Ben with stories about her friendship with singer Steve Perry and she talks about that rumored Star Wars script. Plus, an impressive Super 8 for your movie list. Films Mentioned: Wonder Woman* Wonder Woman 1984* Monster Midnight Cowboy The Devil's Advocate Superman (1978)* Reds What Have I Done To Deserve This? I Know Where I’m Going A Matter of Life and Death Moulin Rouge The Red Balloon* Charade Bridge Over the River Kwai The Best Years of Our Lives Doctor Zhivago *Available on Max as of 3/12 (Availability of titles subject to change) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Director Damien Chazelle ( La La Land, First Man) describes his childhood as a budding filmmaker inspired by Walt Disney, his path to getting his first film made (Whiplash), and how the pandemic impacted casting for his recent epic Babylon. Chazelle surprises – and delights – host Ben Mankiewicz as they discuss his parents’ favorite films and which movies always make him cry. Films Mentioned: La La Land Whiplash Jurassic Park Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench Annie Hall Speed Volcano Lethal Weapon Taken The Last Exorcism Part 2 10 Cloverfield Lane Ouija Paranormal Activity* The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* West Side Story Singin’ in the Rain* The Sound of Music An American in Paris First Man Babylon Peter Pan Full Metal Jacket* Paths of Glory City Lights* Make Way For Tomorrow Black and Tan St. Louis Blues The Emperor Jones* Vertigo La Grande Vadrouille The Red Circle The 400 Blows* The 13th Warrior *Available on Max as of 2/27 (Availability of titles subject to change) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices